HR: 1340h
AN: ED13A-1136    [Abstracts]
TI: The Transect Program: Undergraduate Research at Sea and in the Laboratory
AU: * Sautter, L R
EM: sautterL@cofc.edu
AF: College of Charleston, Dept. of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, Charleston, SC 29424 United States
AU: Sancho, G
EM: sanchog@cofc.edu
AF: College of Charleston, Dept. of Biology, Charleston, SC 29424 United States
AB: Active participation in independent research that begins with data collection at sea has been shown to significantly increase undergraduate interest toward pursuing a career in ocean science. Thirty-five undergraduate students have recently enrolled in one of four NSF-sponsored Transect Programs at the College of Charleston. Each multi-disciplinary program consisted of an intensive 5-day research cruise, followed by a rigorous semester Oceanographic Research course in which students learned laboratory techniques for analyzing the biological, physical and geological samples collected. Students also conducted individual research, presented their results at both a poster and oral session, and prepared a manuscript following journal guidelines. Students showed significant comprehension of their research results and interest in continuing their research. Student applications to jobs, graduate schools, scholarships and internships have shown greater than 90% acceptance rate. The program's next phase will include expansion to numerous institutions in the southeast and elsewhere, coordinating with coastal and ocean observatory networks while training a new generation of oceanographers.
UR: http://oceanica.cofc.edu/transects/home.htm
DE: 0810 Post-secondary education
DE: 3002 Continental shelf and slope processes (4219)
DE: 4219 Continental shelf and slope processes (3002)
DE: 4262 Ocean observing systems
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005